(19)
(11) EP 0 980 762 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
21.03.2001 Bulletin 2001/12

(43) Date of publication A2:
23.02.2000 Bulletin 2000/08

(21) Application number: 99306489.8

(22) Date of filing: 17.08.1999
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: B41J 2/51
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 18.08.1998 GB 9818025

(71) Applicant: NEOPOST LIMITED
Romford, Essex RM1 2AR (GB)

(72) Inventors:
  • Giles, Christopher Michael
    Haverhill, Suffolk CB9 7FU (GB)
  • Henson, Walter Herbert
    Hornchurch, Essex RM12 4JZ (GB)

(74) Representative: Loughrey, Richard Vivian Patrick et al
HUGHES CLARK & CO 114-118 Southampton Row
London WC1B 5AA
London WC1B 5AA (GB)

   


(54) Print head transport mechanism


(57) A print head transport mechanism of a postage meter for printing postal indicia which are of greater height (46) than a printing height of a print head (22) comprises a carriage (10) to traverse the print head over a band of a print receiving area (24). The print head is mounted in a sub-carriage (26) mounted on the carriage and the sub-carriage is displaceable in the direction (25) of printing height of the print head. A rotatable element (28, 29, 30) connected between the sub-carriage and the carriage is operable to displace the sub-carriage. The element is provided with friction surfaces (37, 38) that engage with friction pads (33, 35) during traverse of the carriage to rotate the element and thereby displace the sub-carriage so that printing is effected in a first band (48) during traverse of the print head in one direction (13) and printing is effected in an adjacent band (49) during traverse of the print head in a second direction (14) opposite to said first direction.






Search report